IN RUMORVILLE, 'COULD' DOESN'T MEAN 'WILL'

(June 28, 2016 - Source: Mike Stobe/Getty Images North America)

The Hot Stove is an amazing thing.  One little suggestion that someone "could" get traded or a publication throwing out a name and suggesting there 'may' be a match doesn't mean a player is going to that team or, better yet, that ANY trade is in the works.  It's hilarious.

(Nov. 1, 2016 - Source: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images North America)

If you read BYB, you learned that yesterday when we put together MIKE NAPOLI IS NOT A NEW YORK YANKEE. Read it, it's fascinating how rumors happen.

Now I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, I get it. It's fun to think about players in different uniforms and reading about all the sources that say conflicting things and trying to weed through it.

Bottom line... it's now a business model for all the sports outlets out there... but there's no question it's silly. The latest is from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe who's a pro at this sort of thing and writes of some Yankee players and a quote from Cashman:

(Sept. 17, 2016 - Source: Rich Gagnon/Getty Images North America)

"I've had my fair share of hits on [Gardner and Headley]," Cashman said. "They're still here and they're here for a reason, but we'll see. We have our interest in getting younger and stronger and more flexible, and improve our present and our future. If all that provides that opportunity, then I think I'll be talking to our owner and see if he'll consider it."

(Sept. 12, 2016 - Source: Rich Schultz/Getty Images North America)

That was then speculated by MLB Daily Dish that in addition to Gardy and Headley, CC Sabathia could also be flipped.  I mean sure, when you read Cashman's quote, it makes sense... CC is older, maybe not as strong as he used to be and the Yankees want young and nimble now. But in the last year of his contract, CC is definitely still valuable to the Yankees and could help lead this club, helping to develop the younger guys and he's truly emerged as a leader in the Yankee clubhouse. 

But more on that later. The key here is "could" though.  There is no WILL... no one is getting traded yet.  It's about the RIGHT deal at the right time... if there's a deal at all.

Hey, give credit to the publications that do it right, because plenty do it horribly. It makes the Hot Stove a lot of fun.  Bottom line though... BYB isn't in that business. We're just about providing a different element, and if that means breaking down what's true and what's not... so be it.